Hundreds of thousands of carers will be promised new rights in the Queen’s Speech tomorrow as the number of elderly and vulnerable people being looked after by family members continues to soar.

The move is designed to relieve the pressure on people – mainly women – who have to give up jobs to care for ailing relatives. But it is likely to be greeted sceptically by councils facing cuts to care budgets running into billions of pounds as austerity bites.

With the population rapidly ageing, the number of people caring for an elderly relative with dementia is forecast to grow by more than 150,000 by the year 2021 . . .